Artificial bait



Feb. 13, 1934. E. LIOTTA 1,946,979

ARTIFICIAL BAIT Filed Oct. 24, 1932 ERNEST L/OTTA I w W Patented Feb. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENTOFVFICE The general purposes of my invention are to combine in a single casting spoon means for compelling a variety of movements of said spoon and contributing to its eflicacy as an artificial bait or fish lure, and means for controlling said movements.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention, concave surface downward, including a tail memher comprising the hooks.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the spoon shown in Figure 1, from the line end, showing particularly the lips or flanges on said line end of the spoon.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the spoon cornprising my invention, with a variation in the type of lip on the line end of the spoon.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the spoon shown in Figure 3, showing particularly the configuration of the lips or flange members of Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, the essential features of my casting spoon are the concavoconvex body 1 of the usual type, on which are integrally formed the tongues 2 and 3 forming the angle, or mouth 4.

The tongue 2 is formed as an integral extension of the concave surface of the spoon body 1, its sides tapering in substantially the same degree as the sides of said body to form a relatively slender tongue or lip, with rounded tip, as shown in Figure 2.

The tongue 3 is formed as an integral continuation of the convex surface of the spoon body 1, connecting with said body of the spoon at the same point as tongue 2, and defining a reverse curve to provide an s-shaped configuration to the convex surface of the spoon.

Tongue 3 connects smoothly with and is a continuation of the sides of the spoon body 1, at which point it is of the same width as tongue 2, tapering in lesser degree than tongue 2, being consequently wider than tongue 2, and made shorter and of greater bluntness at its rounded tip, as shown in Figure 2.

As the tongues 2 and 3 taper away from the concave and convex surface of the spoon, and as they conform to its surface configuration at such connection therewith, they may be formed to tend toward a flat transverse surface at any desired point intermediate their connection with the body of the spoon and their respective ends.

The device shown in Figures 1 and 2 assumes a concave-convex surface to a point approximating the end of each tongue, while the tongues shown in Figures 3 and 4 assume a flat transverse surface immediately adjacent their connection with the spoon body, but I do not confine myself to either of these identical configurations.

As shown in Figure 1, the tongues 2 and 3 may be different in curvature and structure. 1 have 6 shown tongue 2 to be longer and having a curve of greater radius than tongue 3, said tongue 2 also being shown disposed atan angle of lesser degree to the body of the spoon than tongue 3. This latter feature of tongue 3, together with its great- 6 er width, results in its having greater resistance to the force of the water than tongue 2.

Each of said tongues has an aperture in the end thereof, as shown in Figures 2 and 4, to which the casting line may be secured in the usual manner, either separately as shown in Figure 1, or concurrently.

When my device, with its various features hereinbefore described, is used for trolling the resistance created by the double lip configuration im- 78 parts to it a horizontal wobbling motion, or motion from side to side similar to the motion of asnake, and in addition causes the spoon and appended bait and hook material to dip up and down in a vertical motion. This motion can be adjusted to $0 depth depending upon the particular lip or tongue to which the line is attached.

When the line is attached to tongue 2 the spoon will tend to descend and travel some distance below the surface of the water.

When the line is attached to tongue 3 it will stay near the top of the water, becoming almost a surface bait.

With the line secured to either tongue, if the spoon is allowed to sink by its own weight in deep 00 water it will not descend as a dead weight, but will assume a zigzag wobbly motion in a comparatively slow descent.

If the line is attached to both tongues concurrently when trolling the bait will travel in a level course just under the surface of the water.

7 The tongue features of my device may be varied in configuration, as by varying their respective widths, lengths, radii of their respective arcs, or angles at which connected to the spoon, in order to obtain corresponding degrees of changes in the movements of the spoon resulting from the degree of resistance created.

I also consider the use of tongues, each having parallel sides and square tips, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, to be within the scope of my invention. They may be arcuated in the same manner and degree as those shown in Figures 1 and 2, or straight. The angle of their connection with the body of the spoon may be increased or less- 110 ened, and the surface of said tongues may assume a fiat transverse surface immediately adjacent to their connection with the spoon body, as in Figures 3 and 4, or at any other point intermediate said connection and the tip of the tongue. I consider such variations to be within the scope of my invention, the increase or decrease in resistances resulting from such changes in configuration and surface of such tongues merely varying the degree of movement resulting therefrom.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A casting spoon having its line end transversely bifurcated to define upper and lower lips of substantially the same width at the vertex thereof, one or more of said lips comprising means for securing a line thereto.

2. A casting spoon having its line end transversely bifurcated to define upper and lower lips of substantially the same configuration, one or more of said lips comprising means for securing a line thereto.

3. A casting spoon the body of which is of concave-convex configuration, two tongues formed on the line end of said spoon and integral therewith, one of said tongues defining an extension in the same arc of the concave surface of said spoon, the other of said tongues defining a reverse are extending form the convex surface of said spoon, and means for securing a line to the line end of said spoon.

4. A casting spoon the body of which is of concave-convex configuration, two tongues formed on the line end of said spoon and integral therewith, one of said tongues defining an extension in the same arc of the concave surface of said spoon, the other of said tongues defining a reverse are extending from the convex surface of said spoon, each of said tongues having an aperture in the end thereof.

5. A casting spoon the body of which is of concave-convex configuration, two tongues formed on the line end of said spoon and integral therewith, one of said tongues defining an extension in the same are of the concave surface of said spoon and tapering from its connection with the body of said spoon, the other of said tongues defining a reverse are extending from the convex surface of said spoon, each of said tongues having an aperture in the end thereof.

6. A casting spoon the body of which is of concavo-convex configuration, two tongues formed on the line end of said spoon and integral therewith, one of said tongues defining an extension in the same arc of the concave surface of said spoon and tapering from its connection with the body of said spoon, the other of said tongues defining a reverse are extending from the convex surface of said spoon, said latter tongue being shorter and defining an arc of smaller radius than the firstmentioned tongue, each of said tongues having an aperture in the end thereof.

'7. A casting spoon the body of which is of con- 100 cavo-convex configuration, two tongues formed on the line end of said spoon and integral therewith, one of said tongues defining an arcuate extension of the concave surface of said spoon and tapering from its connection with the body of said 195 spoon, the other of said tongues defining a reverse arc extending from the convex surface of said spoon, said latter tongue being broader, shorter, and defining an arc of smaller radius than the first-mentioned tongue, each of said no tongues having an aperture in the end thereof.

ERNEST LIOTTA. 

